Berlusconi plans to stay in politics
Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, reacting to a Milan court's conviction for tax fraud, said today he would stay in politics.
Berlusconi told an Italian television interviewer that he felt "obliged to stay in the field" in order to protect other Italians from what he called judicial injustices.
But it was not clear if Berlusconi, now a member of the lower house of parliament, meant he would run for high office again or just stay on as an unelected political force of the centre-right.
"There will be consequences," Berlusconi said, referring to his jail sentence on Friday - which will not be enforced until his appeals are exhausted.
"I feel obliged to stay in the field to reform the justice system so that what happened to me does not happen to other citizens," he told Italy's Channel Five television, part of his Mediaset empire.
The move came as a surprise because last Wednesday Berlusconi said he would not run in next year's elections as the leader of his People of Freedom (PDL) party, ending almost 19 years as the dominant politician of the centre-right. .
The court sentence included a five-year ban on running for political office but since the sentence does not become executive until all appeals are exhausted, Berlusconi can run for parliament in the next national elections in April.
The 76-year-old billionaire media magnate, who was convicted three times during the 1990s in the first degree before being cleared by higher courts, has the right to appeal the ruling two more times before the sentence becomes definitive.
Berlusconi has often accused magistrates of waging a political war against him.
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Jay Stoneturner
Oct 28th 2012, 09:55
Just who would vote for this guy... Forza Italia!
Anthony A. Mifsud
Oct 28th 2012, 07:16
I just have a gutt feeling that not so long ago, i blieve in September I have heared One Guy speaking from the podum, exectly like Silvio
One arrogant speach and it sounds like they are welded to the power chair
Ninu
Anthony Paul Naudi
Oct 28th 2012, 04:15
After all he was the only Prime minister to held government for the full period of time whilst before in Italy general elections were held almost every year.
A.P.Naudi
Edward Farrugia
Oct 28th 2012, 00:55
Should his prison sentence is confirmed after his appealing the sentence, would he be allowed to stay in politics. Any Tom, Dick and Harry in Malta walking the streets once labled with the stigma of having been in prison forfeits his right to vote in an election let alone contesting an election. If so permitted no wonder that corruption reigns supreme in our neighbouring Italy.
Anthony Mizzi
Oct 27th 2012, 23:34
What arrogance, has he plans to clone himself or found the fountain of eternal youth and plans to live forever??
Such attitudes seem to be catching and they call it "Democracy"!
Why not just bow out gracefully....
Joseph Pavia
Oct 27th 2012, 21:39
It is from the modern Borgias of your ilk that the Italians need to be protected from, Mr Berlusconi!
Henry J Bonett
Oct 27th 2012, 20:20
In the nineties, when the Romiti case came up, Berlusconi was all out to legalise graft. Nobody can accuse him of being inconsistent in his beliefs, after all.
m. borg (slm)
Oct 27th 2012, 18:08
Like so many around us another ARROGANT politician.
Joseph Mifsud
Oct 27th 2012, 17:56
I can't understand how the people of southern Europe vote for Businessocracies !
Victor Vella
Oct 27th 2012, 17:13
With this we were making business in Europe!!!!! The above photo is complete by putting a halo around the head of this saint. A holy saint were sins are absolved.
T Mizzi
Oct 28th 2012, 07:56
Everyone knows that Berlusconi never claimed to be a saint.
But speaking about judicial injustices, one can just look around at our tiny island where the "poor" citizen has to wait years for a court decision!
Alexander Brincat
Oct 27th 2012, 17:08
So it is ok to send Berlusconi to prison for creating some very creative tax planning exercise to avoid tax. Here I purposefully mentioned "avoid" and not "evade".
Yet when one looks at the banking system worldwide you notice that banks collude in a very internationally creative system whereby interest rates are established to make the banks richer and consumers poorer.
joseph engerer
Oct 27th 2012, 15:58
Since corruption is part of the culture in Italy, he feels they done him wrong. Not many better than him in the poitical arena.
Giov DeMartino
Oct 27th 2012, 18:31
Corruption is part of culture in Italy. And yet the courts were brave enough to send an ex-premier to prison. Imagine if this had to be done in Malta in the 70's and 80's!
joseph saliba
Oct 27th 2012, 18:42
Being a stone thrower does not mean one is not corrupt.
Malcolm Seychell
Oct 27th 2012, 21:19
or in 2012 Mr De Martino?
pat muscat
Oct 28th 2012, 08:46
Transparency International year after year has been reporting that corruption during the last years has gone worse: not better!
Joe Calleja
Oct 27th 2012, 15:37
Milan's judges should have kept in mind the Maltese proverb "Kelb rieqed la tqajmux" (or Let sleeping dogs lie).
Certainlky NOT what these magistrates aimed at, and his enemies on the lest and others expected!
Karl Consiglio
Oct 27th 2012, 15:29
He's hooked, like a junky.
Joe Calleja
Oct 27th 2012, 16:49
Just to correct my last sentence in my post :
Certainly NOT what these magistrates aimed at, and, his enemies on the Left and others, expected!
Please choose the reason of your report below: